Bristol’s Tory leader Peter Abraham is calling on supporters of adult education to back his e-petition which opposes a proposed £200,000 cut in funding.

Councillors will be asked at the city council’s budget meeting on Tuesday to vote on a Green Party amendment which would switch funding from the Adult Learning Service based at Stoke Lodge to help the homeless.

Mr Abraham believes that if the amendment is passed, the community learning centre in Shirehampton Road would have to close.

He has set up a petition on the council's website to gather support in support of the service.

In order for the amendment to be passed, there would have to be a two-thirds majority in favour.

Mr Abraham said: “I cannot stress enough the importance of people registering their own feelings and opposition to this Green Party proposal.

“It is vital to make councillors aware in time of the damage this loss of funding will cause to Adult Learning in Bristol, and the shutting of the doors on an important local education venue.

“Time is really of the essence here, with only a very short window of opportunity to organise and oppose this move.

“I urge everyone to sign my on-line petition and, if possible, submit public forum statements to the next Full Council meeting later this month.”

The petition can be seen at http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2180

It reads: “We, the undersigned, call on all Members of Bristol City Council to support adult education in this city. The cut in funding to the Adult Leisure Learning Service, proposed by the Green Party at February's annual Budget-fixing meeting, must be rejected. If not, this amendment would lead to the permanent closure of a well-used community facility based at Stoke Lodge adult leisure learning centre.”